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Avoiding Bike Accidents through Visibility

In most cases, cyclists and motorists have to share the road. While motorists will likely only face minor dents from hitting a cyclist, the cyclist faces serious injuries if hit. Bikes are incredibly vulnerable when sharing the road and cyclists report the highest number of near-misses versus vehicles. Drivers have reported that when it comes to avoiding bike accidents, visibility is the most important factor, to which cyclists don’t seem to pay enough attention.

To See or Not to See?

In a survey completed by motorists and cyclists, motorists claimed that the most common reason bike accidents occur was due to the cyclist not being visible enough. Motorists have many distractions that need to be considered, such as other vehicles, GPS, and the amount of light blocking their view. Cyclists who wore reflectors and fluorescent clothing were 5.9 times more likely to be spotted by motorists, even with distractions. Unfortunately, cyclists do not appear to be adopting better visibility gear while riding. In the survey, cyclists reported that they through motorists could see them more than twice the distance of what motorists could actually see. Drivers were also 4 times more likely to report not being able to see the cyclist as opposed to the cyclist stating that visibility was a factor in the bike accident. While most cyclists in the survey understood that if they were to wear reflective gear and mount better lights onto their bicycles that they would likely be in fewer bike accidents, there was still a general apathy toward doing so. Most cyclists hit by vehicles were riding in well-lit areas with no extreme weather and cited driver inattention as the cause of most bike accidents.

The Advocates have years of experience handling bike accident claims. If you were hit by a car or truck while riding your bike The Advocates can seek settlement from the driver’s insurance to make sure you are compensated for your medical bills and pain and suffering. Rest assured that your attorney will be with you every step of the way. Call now for a free and confidential consultation!